Method and apparatus for managing hotel transactions from a gaming device

• US 20030050806A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Friesen, Scott T., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Downs, Michael D., Walker, Jay S.
• Application Number:
  US10/187,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050806A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A customer may be permitted to use a gaming device such as a slot machine to manage various transactions related to a hotel, such as checking in and/or checking out of the customer'"'"'s room at the hotel. A customer may receive a benefit in exchange for using a gaming device for a transaction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a player identifier at a gaming device;

assigning a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and

using the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding the assigning of the hotel room.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicated information includes a room number which corresponds to the assigned hotel room.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the player identifier to an electronic door lock mechanism associated with the assigned hotel room.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a room access code.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting the room access code to an electronic door lock mechanism associated with the assigned hotel room.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

magnetically writing the room access code on a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is located at a hotel that includes the assigned hotel room.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the received player identifier with a room identifier that corresponds to the assigned hotel room.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the gaming device to present hotel room preferences information to the player.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the gaming device to present a reservation confirmation page to the player.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the gaming device information regarding a hotel stay desired by the player.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information regarding the hotel stay includes a desired check-out date.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the information regarding the hotel stay includes a desired type of room.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the gaming device to communicate to the player an offer for the player to relinquish the assigned room.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the gaming device to communicate to the player an offer for the player to delay occupying the assigned room.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying to payment for the assigned room gaming credits won via the gaming device.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

awarding free use of the assigned room based on a game outcome provided by the gaming device.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

awarding gaming credit at the gaming device in response to the player using the gaming device to check in to a hotel that includes the assigned hotel room.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the gaming device to inform the player concerning a telephone message for the player.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the player to use the gaming device to access or send an electronic mail message.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving a credit card number for the player in response to receiving the player identifier.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

charging payment for the assigned hotel room to a credit card account associated with the retrieved credit card number.

28. A method comprising:

receiving a player identifier at a gaming device; and

accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

using the gaming device to present hotel room preferences information to a player identified by the player identifier.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

using the gaming device to present a reservation confirmation page to a player identified by the player identifier.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

assigning a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.

36. A method comprising:

receiving a player identifier at a gaming device;

associating the received player identifier with a room identifier;

presenting to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and

generating a room access code associated with the room identifier.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a credit or debit card interfaced to the gaming device.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

magnetically writing the room access code on a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.

41. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

transmitting the received player identifier to an electronic door lock mechanism.

42. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

transmitting the room access code to an electronic door lock mechanism.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the gaming device is located at a hotel that includes a room associated with the room identifier.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one of a reservation confirmation page and the hotel room preferences information is presented to the player via the gaming device.

45. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

retrieving a credit card number for the player in response to receiving the player identifier.

46. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check in.

47. A method comprising:

receiving a player identifier at a gaming device; and

receiving at the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

accessing a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

accessing a hotel room database on the basis of the received player identifier.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the receiving step includes reading the player identifier from a player tracking card interfaced to the gaming device.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the gaming device is a slot machine.

52. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

presenting to the player a billing statement in response to the received indication.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

receiving from the player an indication that the player approves the billing statement.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the indication that the player approves the billing statement is received via the gaming device.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the billing statement is presented to the player via the gaming device.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

printing the billing statement at the gaming device.

57. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

offering a benefit to the player in exchange for using the gaming device to check out.

58. A method comprising:

receiving at a gaming device an identifier that identifies a customer;

receiving via the gaming device a request by the customer for a hotel room;

associating a hotel room with the customer; and

transmitting to the customer an identifier that identifies the hotel room.

59. A method comprising:

receiving at a gaming device an identifier that identifies a customer;

receiving at the gaming device a request by the customer to check in; and

transmitting a signal to a casino representative, the signal indicating an instruction to assist the customer at the gaming device with check-in.

60. A method comprising:

receiving an identifier that identifies a player at a gaming device;

receiving a wager from the player at the gaming device;

assigning a hotel room to the player; and

transmitting to the player at the gaming device data that indicates the assignment of the hotel room.

61. An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to;

receive a player identifier via a gaming device;

assign a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and

use the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding assignment of the hotel room.

62. An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to;

receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and

access a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.

63. An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to;

receive a player identifier via a gaming device;

associate the received player identifier with a room identifier;

present to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and

generate a room access code associated with the room identifier.

64. An apparatus for handling a hotel transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor and the processor operative with the program to;

receive a player identifier via a gaming device;

receive via the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.

65. A computer program product comprising:

a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having;

program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device;

program code adapted to assign a hotel room to a player identified by the player identifier; and

program code adapted to use the gaming device to communicate to the player information regarding the assigning of the hotel room.

66. A computer program product comprising:

a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having;

program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and

program code adapted to access a hotel reservation database on the basis of the received player identifier.

67. A computer program product comprising:

a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having;

program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device;

program code adapted to associate the received player identifier with a room identifier;

program code adapted to present to a player identified by the player identifier at least one of a reservation confirmation page and hotel room preferences information; and

program code adapted to generate a room access code associated with the room identifier.

68. A computer program product comprising:

a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having;

program code adapted to receive a player identifier via a gaming device; and

program code adapted to receive via the gaming device an indication that a player identified by the player identifier wishes to check out of a hotel room.